The invention relates to a method of differentiated transports of materials and/or persons, i.e. transports during which the conditions of speed, stopping frequency, distance, noise and other factors vary substantially. It also relates to a new type of vehicle or vehicle unit for providing such transports.
The requirements of industrial life often lead to certain transports being made by vehicles under distinctly differentiated conditions. Thus, for example, there is a need to distribute or collect materials or goods in more or less densely inhabited streets after they have come from relatively far away, particularly from a suburb or the country. Such is the case for the delivery of goods to town distributors, or the case of the collection of household or other waste in inhabited areas, when the goods come from factories, stations, ports or other sources distant by many kilometers from the places where they are distributed. Similarly, when it is a question of removing rubbish from an urban area, the rubbish tip is often very far away. Now, in inhabited areas the transporter is forced to move at a moderate speed with frequent stops. Furthermore, for obvious reasons, he must make as little noise as possible, especially early or late in the day, and reduce pollution to a minimum. In addition, it is desirable not to exhaust batteries for going to and from the distant source of the goods or rubbish tip.
Thus, the transports in question comprise two differentiated phases: a first phase of distributing or collecting at a low speed and in silence without troublesome pollution, and a second phase at normal or rapid speed between this working zone and the source of goods or rubbish tip.
The modes of transport and vehicles used at the present time are ill suited to the above described differentiated operations. Thus, for example, the usual distribution of bottles of drinks to the retailers of an urban area by diesel trucks causes troublesome noise and pollution. It is the same for collecting rubbish, where the power of the engine can in no way accelerate the work which requires continual steps.